Sly Kings and Sick Days
by Feste the Fool
Summary: In which Merlin succumbs to his destiny, Arthur proves himself to be an expert planner, and Gaius watches it all with a stiff upper eyebrow. Just a casual little off-center Merlin!light!whump story updated in 1000 word one shots, because my muse likes limits lately. Try saying that three times fast. Now complete!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Clearly I own Merlin. Clearly this leaves me enough time and energy to write these little tales of adventure instead of just including them in the show in the first place. (Pah-_lease._ If I owned Merlin, Kilgharrah wouldn't exist, Freya would pop by Camelot for afternoon tea much to the consternation of everyone except Merlin, security would actually be worthwhile, and Gwaine would have red hair.)**

**Not related in any way, shape, or form to either of my two ongoing works. Just a fun, stand-alone little thing I thought you all might like. Enjoy!**

* * *

Gaius was sitting at his desk, attempting to improve a recipe for some vile-tasting cough medicine when he heard the voice of the king echoing down the hall. He glanced at the door, sighed, and tucked the parchment into the book at his elbow, waiting for the impatient king to come tearing through in search of a certain dark haired warlock.

He was not disappointed. With a loud cry of _"MERLIN!" _the doors flew open and Arthur Pendragon stormed in. The physician opened his mouth to explain, but never got the chance. "Gaius, where _is _he? He does _realize _that I gave him the _afternoon _off, not the rest of the week?" Gaius once again started to speak and was once again cut off as Arthur marched through the room, headed for the on the other side. "If he's slept in because he was at the _blasted _tavern last night, I'm going to kill—" The words died on the king's lips as he stood in the doorframe and stared into Merlin's room.

The physician sighed and stood. He moved slowly to the door and glanced in over Arthur's shoulder. Merlin was exactly where he'd left him: abed, pale, drawn, sleeping fitfully, sweat glistening on slightly sallow skin. His breathing was regular, or at least, more regular than the last time Gaius had looked in on him, and he wasn't tossing nearly as much as before. On the whole, Gaius thought he looked much improved. "I am sorry, sire," he said. "I meant to send a replacement to you and Gwen this morning, but I slept in. I was up with him later than I am accustomed."

The king swallowed, his expression wavering between deep concern, anger, and uncaring. "…What's wrong with him?" he asked, dropping his voice so as not to disturb the sleeping young man. "He was fine yesterday morning. Better than fine. Why is he sick now?"

"You gave him the afternoon off," Gaius said, shaking his head. "Usually I can coax him down, but I was too busy and he could have gone another week anyway, but then Morgana came and I was recovering and we've been so concerned with putting everything back to rights…"

"Wait," Arthur said, tearing his eyes away from Merlin and fixing the physician with a dark stare. "What do you mean coax him down? What does me giving him the afternoon off having anything to do with anything?"

"…It's hard to explain. Merlin _does _work hard. Harder than you give him credit for. When a sickness or cold or bug catches up with him—which it does more often than you would think, what with him _living _in the physician's quarters that gets sick people floating in and out all the time—he ignores it. More than that. He very nearly _wills _it away, because he doesn't have time to become ill. He has too much to do, and lying in bed for extended periods of time doesn't work for him. He's healthy as a horse, and his body is good at fighting things like that…but after going for so long, exhaustion catches up and he has to work through that, too. He honestly doesn't notice. He feels perfectly normal. But when he gets a break of more than a few minutes at once, his body stops fighting everything and he just…crashes." Gaius shrugged. "He's not the first person I've seen do it, and this won't be the last time it happens either."

Arthur was slightly horrified, and he looked from Merlin to Gaius. "Why haven't I heard of this before?" he hissed. "He's _never _sick."

Gaius smiled and shook his head. "As I said, I can usually coax him down. He doesn't know I do it. Sometimes he's not even aware he was sick. I keep an eye on him, and when I see him start to flag, I can almost direct the illness. I can usually keep it under just a few night hours of exhaustion and fever every couple of months, and that holds him over until he gets his midwinter holiday."

"I always thought he went to Ealdor," Arthur said, fiddling with the ends of his tunic.

"Heavens, no. He's spent the last four years bedridden and one-quarter dead while we wrestled a worst-case-scenario strain of whatever illness happened to be most prevalent in Camelot at the time."

Merlin moaned, drawing their attention. He turned his head, eyelids flickering. "He'll be waking soon," Gaius said as he eased the door closed. "It's better than it looks. This fit was worse than usual because we had to let it go so long, but I managed to head most of it off yesterday afternoon when you let him go early. He just needs a day of rest and he'll be back to his old self."

Arthur swallowed. "He can have as much time as he needs," he said. "And…when he's better, I'll see about relieving him of some of his duties."

"Oh, that's not necessary. He actually enjoys working for you, even if he won't admit it."

"Even so," the king argued. "That's not right. I don't want him getting sick like that. It'll only worry me." He bit his lip and cast a sideways glance at Gaius. "Don't tell him I said that."

"Not a word, sire," answered the physician with a smile.

Arthur nodded his thanks. "I can find myself another servant. See if I can't salvage the rest of my morning. When he wakes, tell him I want to see him _early _tomorrow, to make up for this." He turned around and marched away from Merlin's door. He stopped on his way out and, not looking at Gaius, asked, "…You'll make sure he gets better?"

"Of course, sire," Gaius said with a bow.

Arthur nodded and swept out of the room. People asked about Merlin all day, but Arthur only said he'd been given the day off. He couldn't bear to go into the reasons why.


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur came into the physician's chambers once more that day, before he retired for the night. He found the main chambers to be lacking of either a physician or a well-rested idiot ready to go back to work. He bit his lip, wishing he could just as easily bite back the wave of concern flooding through him. He walked the distance to Merlin's closed door and toed it open. "Gaius?"

A large dark figure leaning over Merlin's bed jumped and turned toward him. "Sire!" he said, opening the door all the way. "I wasn't really expecting you back today!"

"Is he all right, Gaius?" Arthur asked, looking past the physician to Merlin. The servant was currently fighting his blanket, moaning loudly about something hurting in a way that made Arthur ache a little, too.

Gaius looked exhausted, and above all, _annoyed. _"Believe it or not, he was fine this morning," the physician said peevishly. "Do you remember me saying that lying in bed all day doesn't agree with him?"

"…Yes…"

"Well, the idiot was _out_ of bed every time my back was turned, trying to do _something _or other." A pale, skinny leg shot out from beneath the bedclothes. Gaius caught the ankle with a smooth, practiced motion, without even looking, before it could kick him in the head. "Merlin doesn't _do _boredom, Sire. He's nearly driven me out of my mind today, and made himself much worse trying to do things he wasn't ready to do." He didn't tell Arthur about the spellwork the warlock had tried to catch up on, or the incessant _moaning _he'd had to put up with all day, or the impromptu game of "Let's Tackle the Invalid" he'd been forced to play when the overgrown _child _had run around the room with one of Gaius' more valuable books rather than take his medicine. He simply shuddered and hoped the torture could be implied.

Arthur swallowed, trying to fight both an amused smirk and a anxious frown. "He's not in any serious danger, is he?"

"Not in the least," Gaius said, raising his voice over another moan. "I'll probably be up a few more hours with him, but he'll settle down soon. But…uh…a request, if you don't mind?"

"What do you need?"

"_Get him out of my hair,_" the physician said, his eyes wide and a little manic. "I'm still recovering myself. I can't fight a bored Merlin _and_ attend to _actual _patients who need an _actual _physician. _He _just needs a babysitter. And extra time to rest, too, after today's labors, and if I have to stay up late with him _and _spend the whole day wrestling him, I'll go stark raving mad before he recovers."

Arthur grinned despite himself, but forced himself to look serious when Gaius gave him the this-isn't-funny eyebrow at him. Or maybe it was the don't-make-me-drug-you eyebrow. The two were very close. The serious face became less of an act when Merlin sat upright and launched into a coughing fit. He froze and watched, not sure of what to do, as Gaius released Merlin's ankle and braced his shoulders while he coughed. When it was over, he eased the servant back onto his pillow, muttering in a soothing voice, and reached for the cloth in the bowl of water on the table behind him. He ran the cloth over Merlin's forehead. The servant immediately moaned and tried to turn away.

"Stop it, Merlin," Gaius said, firm, but gentle.

"T-too cold," the servant gasped.

"You've still got a fever, my boy."

"…head hurts…throat…"

"That's what you get for talking all day, isn't it?" He put the cloth back into the bowl and picked up the jar next to it. Dipping his finger into the jar, he smeared honey on Merlin's lips. "That'll help, if you'd just lick it off, senseless young pup." He looked up at Arthur. "Talking in his sleep."

Arthur been chewing on his bottom lip and wringing his hands during this entire exchange. Now he folded his arms and leaned against the doorway, trying to look nonchalant and failing brilliantly. "You're _sure _he's going to be all right, Gaius?"

"Positive, sire. Unless, of course, he does tomorrow as he did today. If there are any small chores you can think of, things he can do without getting out of bed or using very much energy, I would _greatly _appreciate it if you could send them his way tomorrow. It would go a long way in making sure he stays rested and letting _me _catch up on some work. Maybe even some sleep."

The king nodded before being entirely sure of what he was agreeing to. "I'll see if I can't think of _something,_" he said, not taking his eyes off of Merlin. "I'd come in myself, if need be—"

"There's no great need for _that," _Gaius said, raising his don't-you-dare-even-think-of-skiving-off eyebrow. "You do have a kingdom to run."

"I'm sure I can make time somewhere."

"No. _Find _time, and you're welcome to come in. _Make _time and we may have some problems. It's only been a fortnight since Camelot was retaken. You've got bigger concerns on your hands than a servant who won't do as he's told."

Arthur pouted, and the eyebrow shifted into an are-you-trying-to-argue-with-me-boy sort of look. He sniffed and looked back at Merlin, who was now trying to curl in on himself. "Is he having stomach problems, too?"

"He wouldn't be if he'd listen to me," Gaius said, shooting his ward a disapproving glare. "Go on, sire. I can handle this little upstart for another night. But think about what I said, yes? I'd rather get through this with my sanity intact, and maybe not _kill him _for irritating me?"

"Of course, Gaius. Good night." He turned to go, and Gaius had a feeling he wasn't the only one who wouldn't be sleeping much tonight.

He needn't have worried. Wheels were already turning in Arthur's mind. He had a plan half-hashed out already.

* * *

**Just wanted to say, I got the idea behind Merlin's illness because this and an allergy to cold and cough medicines are the reason I was sick every holiday (including the stinkin' **_**Fourth of July**_**) of my middle and high school career. Although never in any possibility was I **_**ever**_** as bad as I'm making poor Merlin, illness-wise or recovery-wise…except maybe that one time…anyway. This idea for Merlin just makes a lot of sense to me—he works himself stupid and only sleeps a full eight hours maybe once a week, because most of his world-saving happens in the middle of the night. Fun stuff, right?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

"Bored," Merlin croaked, barely audible from the next room. "Bored. Bored. Bored—"

"Merlin," Gaius called in a deceptively calm voice. "Say one more word and I _swear _I will drug you."

That bought him six minutes of peaceful silence. When minute number _seven_ rolled around, the physician turned an apprehensive head toward his ward's room. "Merlin?"

No answer.

Gaius sighed. He walked up the stairs as fast as he was able and stood in the doorframe of Merlin's room to find the warlock prying up the loose floorboard. "MERLIN!" Gaius shouted.

Merlin jumped and _squealed_, dropping the floorboard and nearly hitting his head on the bed. "I wasn't going to _do _anything!" His voice was hoarser than yesterday. He turned to his guardian with an innocent smile. "I was just going to _read_, I swear!"

"Merlin—" Gaius was interrupted by a knock at the door. He raised a _very_ expressive don't-cross-me-or-I-will-have-my-_revenge_ eyebrow at Merlin and pointed at the bed. "_Get back in bed_ and do not _move,_" he said, then left.

It was Sir Leon at the door. "Hello Gaius," he said, waving a bloody hand.

"Leon, what on _earth _happened?"

"_Arthur_ happened, during an emergency training. I _swear _he aimed for my hand on purpose." Gaius led him into the chambers and began shuffling around for some bandages. Leon looked around. "Where's Merlin? We're all missing him."

"Didn't Arthur tell you? He's been ill."

Leon frowned, worry flickering into his eyes. "…Nothing serious, I hope."

"Oh, no, just—"

"Gaius? Is that Leon?" Merlin asked, poking his head out of his bedroom door.

Gaius whipped his head around. "Merlin, I told you to stay in bed!" he shouted.

"But I'm _bored!_"

Leon laughed, his shoulders shaking so hard Gaius couldn't wrap his hand. "I think I see your problem. Can you bandage the hand at poor Merlin's bedside? Something strange happened to me this morning. He'll get a kick out of it."

Another raised eyebrow, this one more of a not-sure-what's-going-on-but-I'll-play-along. "Very well. Come on."

Merlin was back in bed by the time they made it into his room with an extra pair of chairs. While Gaius wrapped Leon's fingers, Leon regaled Merlin with the tale of a falcon escaping the castle mews and charging after a rat that had gotten stuck in the north passage with six shrieking scullery maids and Leon. Before long, Merlin was laughing and coughing in breathless, happy gasps and even Gaius was chuckling. Leon stayed to finish the story after Gaius was done with him, commenting on how the most bizarre thing was that he thought it was _Arthur's _falcon that had escaped, and that Arthur had shown up with a falconer's glove on just when Leon had gotten the bird under control again. Gaius grew instantly suspicious, but Leon noticed nothing. At last, Leon insisted he needed to go finish the morning training. He seemed reluctant to leave when he saw how sorry both men were to see him go, but he'd stayed too long already.

Merlin continued to giggle and cough at the memory of the story after Leon was gone. He was in a good enough humor that Gaius managed to get some medicine into him without much of a fuss. Fifteen minutes later, however, and the servant was bored again.

Gaius getting ready to shout some more when there was another knock on the door. This time, George was there, holding a bag. "Good morning, Gaius," he said. "I am here to see Merlin."

The hmm-this-could-be-_interesting_ eyebrow rose. "By all means, come _in, _George," Gaius said, swinging the door open all the way. George thanked him and walked into Merlin's room. The door was open just a crack, and Gaius walked over to listen.

"…And his majesty said that by no means were you to cut corners just because you aren't feeling well," George's voice droned from the other side of the door. "His majesty expects to see his face in the leather, because you have no other chores to distract you. He said I could remain for a short time if you wanted me to instruct you on how to properly—"

"—Thanks, George, I think I'm good," Merlin said in a rush. "Er…you can go now."

"Most excellent. I hope you are returned to health soon." The servant opened the door again, bid good day to Gaius, and floated out again. Gaius peered into Merlin's room. The warlock was sitting up, bearing an expression of dismay. On his lap was the empty bag, a jar of polish, a brush, and two pairs of Arthur's boots.

"Can you believe this?" Merlin cried, outraged. His voice squeaked and broke, but he didn't cough. "Here I am, practically _dying_, and that _prat _of a king expects me to _work!" _

"At least you won't be bored now," Gaius said with a large, malicious smile. He went back to his own work as Merlin groaned and picked up the brush.

He peeked in about an hour later. He _could _practically see his reflection in the leather of the boots sprawled across Merlin's lap. The brush was slipping out of his lax hand, and the polish was haphazardly capped. The young man himself was sleeping, properly, for the first time in two days, having completely exhausted himself just doing that one little chore. The physician smiled again, put everything back in the bag, and closed Merlin's door behind him.

Arthur himself was round for the boots before too much longer, looking like he was in a hurry. "How's—"

"Sleeping," Gaius said.

The king nodded. "I'd hoped so." He took the bag. "Is he—"

"Looking better already."

"Good. What should he—"

"A light soup, maybe, around one."

"Got it. Thanks." He grabbed the bag and ran out the door.

"Oh, no," Gaius muttered as he disappeared. "Thank _you._" And he stretched out on his own bed, hoping to catch a _little _sleep before Merlin awoke with a vengeance.


	4. Chapter 4

Gaius rose from his nap at around half past eleven. Merlin woke up some twenty minutes later. Gaius knew this because at about seven minutes after that, a crash and a sound like a dying animal echoed from the warlock's bedroom. A large _thing_ flew through out of Merlin's door, crashed into the wall above the door, and shattered, each little piece turning into flowers as they fell. The physician blinked, looked at the pile of flowers on the floor, then looked at the doorway into Merlin's room, where the warlock was leaning with one hand outstretched, a panicked look on his face. Gaius sighed, stood, and began slowly walking toward Merlin.

"Uh, Gaius, I can explain…" Merlin said, sickly face turning white as he backed away. "Really, it was an accident…Don't look at me like that…I didn't mean—Wait, let me just—"

Gaius was within arm's reach now. Merlin jumped back, but with reflexes well-honed from treating small, spoiled children, Gaius' arm darted out faster than Merlin could flee. He snared Merlin by the ear and dragged him, whimpering and protesting, back to his room. He tossed the warlock inside, shut the door, and leaned his back against it. When he turned around he saw he had a visitor who had, judging by the amused and shocked expression on his face, seen the chase.

"Um…what was that about?" Elyan asked, raising his voice against the sound of Merlin beating on his bedroom door—that nap had done _a lot _for him, and Gaius hoped the "accident" hadn't undone it all.

"Merlin's sick," Gaius said, kicking his foot backwards against the door.

The dark skinned knight nodded slowly, though he looked as if he didn't understand a thing. "…That explains why he hasn't been around, I guess, but…do you treat all your sick patients like that?"

"Only the ones who insist on making it worse," the physician said.

"ELYAN?" came Merlin's muffled shout through the door. "I'M BEING HELD AGAINST MY WILL! DO ME A FAVOR AND SAVE ME LIKE A GOOD KNIGHT."

Elyan chuckled as if he didn't believe the picture in front of him. "Sorry, Merlin," he yelled back. "I think I'd rather take on another immortal army."

"Indeed," Gaius said, raising an eyebrow, this one exuding an uncomfortable level of satisfaction with the amount of fear he could induce in others. "What exactly is your problem, Sir Elyan?"

Elyan blinked. "Oh…right. I don't really have one. I mean, I did. Somebody hit me on the back of the head. It doesn't hurt, but Arthur made me come see you."

"Oh Arthur was there, was he?" Gaius kicked backward again. "_Merlin,_ give us _thirty seconds _of peace and I'll look at Elyan in your room." The beating immediately ceased. "He's bored," the physician explained, opening the door and ushering Elyan inside.

Elyan frowned. "He's not contagious?"

"No, just bored." He ducked into Merlin's room. The warlock was seated on his bed, panting as if he'd just run a mile, face shining with sweat. There was a rasp in his breathing Gaius still didn't like and he was wincing like his stomach still hurt, but his eyes were clearer and there a little color in his cheeks again. Except he was pouting, and it made everything look worse.

The knight walked into the room after that and blinked. "Wow, Merlin, you look _awful._"

"Gee, thanks," Merlin said, face blank. "You really know how to brighten someone's day. What's the matter with you?"

"Got sapped." He sat down in the chair across from Gaius, closest to Merlin's bed. "I'm telling you, I feel fine. It quit hurting on the way over."

"What happened?" Gaius asked. "Turn around so I can see."

Elyan turned obligingly. "I don't know. I was turning a corner and somebody hit me on the back of the head. Apparently Arthur was coming toward me or something. He said he saw me fall, but couldn't catch whoever it was that hit me and see if I was all right at the same time. He said I was only out for a few seconds, but he insisted I get my head checked out."

The yes-and_-that's_-a-likely-story eyebrow went up—one Merlin would have recognized instantly, had he been looking at his guardian at the time. "Are we to assume some villain is loose in the castle, then?" he asked, the one eyebrow coming down and the sarcastic eyebrow going up.

"I guess, though I doubt they will be much longer. Arthur's on a _roll _this morning." While Gaius poked at the nonexistent lump on the back of Elyan's head, the knight told them about Arthur's actions for the day, most of which involved rushing around at top speed. He'd passed a new law, bullied the council into lowering taxes for the working class, knighted a man, and begun plans for a state banquet for the next month. People were saying it was more productivity than they'd seen since Uther's death.

"Well, if you want something done right, get a busy man to do it," Gaius muttered, thinking about convenient visitors and the calculating look on Arthur's face the day before.

"What was that?" Elyan asked.

"Oh, nothing."

Merlin grinned. "He's getting along without me, then?" he asked.

"Well…" Elyan started, and the warlock's smile dropped. "You _could _say that. Except he's been very…frazzled."

"Frazzled?"

"Tense? On edge? Jumpy? I don't know. Just sort of…not himself. We're all looking forward to you getting back to work, Merlin. It's not the same without you, and Arthur's not the only one feeling it. Tristan and Gwaine usually get along, but they've been at each other's throats today. And Percival is even quieter than usual…"

They chatted until Gaius couldn't stall any longer and reluctantly sent the knight on his way.

"…I'm bored again. And hungry," Merlin said as he left and Gaius resisted the urge to slap him on the back of his head. Thank _goodness _lunch would be in soon.


	5. Chapter 5

Lunch came it at one as Gaius expected, and with it came the Queen of Camelot herself. Gaius poked his head out the door and called for Gwen to come up to Merlin's room when he heard the door open. Gwen grinned and motioned to the maid with the tureen of soup to follow her.

"Gwen!" Merlin called as she walked in, his face brightening. He tried to stand up, but Gaius pushed him back into bed.

"Hello to you, too, Merlin," the queen said. "Arthur said you were under the weather and I thought you might like some company. Just put the soup on the night table, Mary, and you can go."

The servant did as she was told while Gaius left to get bowls. Merlin grinned. "I'm much better now. Gaius has been treating his patients in here, so it hasn't been so bad. And _your husband _made me _polish _his _boots._"

"Really?" Gwen asked, taking the seat closest to the bed. "That's…well, that's…"

"Very prattish of him?"

"_Merlin,_" she scolded as Gaius came back in. After making sure Gwen was joining them, he ladled the soup into three bowls and passed it out.

Gaius and Gwen ate and talked amiably while Merlin looked at his bowl as if it had sprouted wings. During a lull in conversation, Gaius raised an I-know-what's-really-going-on-here eyebrow at his ward. "I thought _you _said you were _hungry," _he said.

"I was. Now I'm wondering if eating is really worth it," Merlin said, poking at the soup.

Gwen frowned sympathetically. "You've been very sick then?"

The warlock shrugged. "Not sure. I was kind of out for most of it. But I did throw up a couple of times…"

"Did I not tell you yesterday that if you didn't eat your stomach would cramp and you'd get worse?" Gaius asked, voice dangerously calm. "And did you not spend most of last night complaining about stomachaches that weren't there before? Don't think I haven't noticed you still wincing."

The warlock winced again. "Yes, but…"

"You're well past the stage where you'd be throwing up, Merlin. You _need _to eat. The cramps will stop."

Merlin frowned and shook his head. "Not really sure I want to risk it, if it's all the same to you." He started to put the bowl away.

Gwen put her hand on his forearm as he stretched. Her eyes were just a little bit liquid, her mouth pursed into a concerned little frown. "_Please, _Merlin. You do need to eat something. For me?"

He looked up into those worried, shining brown eyes and wibbled. Gaius could practically _hear _his resolve breaking. "Oh, fine," he said, pulling the bowl back onto his lap.

_Good show, Arthur, _Gaius thought to himself.

Merlin ate a few bites and sat up straighter, smiling again. "This is _very good,_" he said, beginning to inhale his bowl.

"I figured Gaius would be too busy or tired to make anything and I wanted to make sure you had a good meal," Gwen said while the physician huffed his disbelief that she _really _had anything to do with it. "This was already waiting when I went down to the kitchens, and I thought a soup would be a little easier on your stomach."

"Thanks, Gwen," Merlin said, shooting her his own liquid look of thanks. "You're the _greatest." _

"I just hope you're not _spoiling _him," the physician said, an amused eyebrow going up. "Don't get used to this cushy life style."

Merlin looked insulted. "What's cushy about it? I'm _ill, _or haven't you noticed?"

Gaius lifted his head and hands, mumbling something about "haven't I noticed" and "give me patience" and "like to strangle him." Gwen and Merlin both laughed. This time Merlin didn't cough, although his breath was still raspy. Happy that the young man was that much more improved, Gaius finished his soup, helped himself to another bowl, and excused himself to the other room to work. Most of his regulars came in the afternoon anyway.

While Gwen and Merlin talked for the next hour and a half, the physician saw to the people who came into his chambers for various sundry medicines, checkups, wound wrapping, and bone-setting—one of each, in fact, and two of his frequent clients and one hypochondriac. Arthur popped in once. He listened to the voices floating in from the other room and turned to Gaius, who winked at him. Then he smiled and popped back out again.

At three Gwen came down the stairs, carrying the empty tureen with her. She stopped long enough to say goodbye to Gaius and thank him for taking such good care of Merlin and everyone in the castle before leaving. The physician smiled as he finished patching up his latest patient. Gwen was an _excellent _queen.

And Arthur, apparently, was disturbingly good at intrigues. Percival burst in about twenty minutes after Gwen left, just when Merlin was beginning to complain again, with some kind of important news. He was too excited to give Gaius a straight answer at first, and his natural reluctance to say more than a dozen words at a time wasn't helping.

"—He said he's been working on it for _months…_had to have been before Uther's death…we can't _believe _it ourselves—"

"Percival, what _are _you going on about?" Gaius asked, trying to calm the flustered knight.

"…Where's Merlin?"

The physician rolled his eyes and jerked his thumb toward the room upstairs. "Ill. Nothing dangerous and he's getting better."

"…What'd he go and get ill for?"

"…You're in shock, aren't you?"

"Why would I be in shock?"

"I don't know, but you aren't making any sense," Gaius said, raising his someone-will-clean-up-this-mess-before-I-lose-my-temper eyebrow. "Arthur didn't hit you over the head, did he?"

"…Why would he do that?"

The physician sighed and led the way into Merlin's room. "Come on. Merlin's usually good at getting people to calm down and talk sense, and you can explain this to both of us at once."

* * *

**...Well. I apologize, but in my defense, I had no idea that was going to be a cliffhanger until I actually wrote it. Hmm...**

**Also, my apologies again. I'm usually so careful with my Percival, but he sounds a little stupid in this fic. Argh...  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Long time, no see, friends! Not really. But seriously, sorry about leaving you all those days with the weak cliffhanger. Hopefully this does it justice. A slightly different interpretation of Percival for me (he's quickly becoming one of my favorites!), a little Arthur!caring for you, and a little Gwaine-and-Merlin-Bromance for everybody!**

* * *

"Percival! Have you come to save me from the clutches of my jailor?" Merlin called with a wide grin as the two older men walked into his room.

"Ignore him," Gaius said, waving a hand at the servant as a confused look spread across the knight's face. "He doesn't do 'ill' well. Now, slow down and explain."

The warlock frowned. "Explain what?"

Percival shook his head and tried to speak slowly, but his enthusiasm quickly got the best of him. "It's Arthur—Arthur and Cenred. Only not Cenred, obviously, but Cenred's kingdom. And not all of it, but—"

Merlin glanced at Gaius, amusement rather than fever making his eyes over-bright. "Percival, stop."

The knight shut up—the reason Percival _didn't _like to speak, after all, was because when did all the words came out at once in a big, tangled jumble.

"Now breathe."

He took a deep breath.

"What did Arthur do to Cenred's kingdom?"

"A peaceful takeover," Percival said, releasing that breath at the same time. "He's had spies in the court ever since Cenred's death—said he put them in place to do a little behind-the-curtain espionage, just to see if he could, and actually uncovered something. He won't say what, but he's giving information to the current king in exchange for land."

"How much? What part?"

"…Ealdor. He asked specifically for Ealdor."

Merlin's breath caught as he stared at the knight, a grin growing on his face. "…Ealdor's part of Camelot? I'm officially a citizen of Camelot now?"

Percival nodded, his mouth mirroring the warlock's. "Arthur said he's been ready to negotiate for a while. He just wanted to wait for the time was right?"

"And that time was now, huh?" Gaius asked, lifting the ever artful how-_fascinatingly-_convenient eyebrow.

The knight shrugged and nodded. "I guess. I mean, he is doing _extremely _well today. Being king. Although he's beginning to look very…um…"

"He's not getting sick, too, is he?" Merlin asked, eyes narrowing.

"No. He just seems…stressed."

"Stressed?"

"To put it lightly." His excitement grew again. "Anyway, he got Ealdor out of the deal, and a fair bit of land surrounding the town, and he says another week, and he'll get my village, too!"

Merlin grinned. "Percival this is amazing!" he cried, and for the first time in two days was _truly _able to raise his voice without so much as a gasp. Gaius nodded in approval, although the present company assumed he was as happy at the new arrangements as they were. He was thrilled that the border between Camelot and Ealdor was nonexistent and both Merlin and Hunith could now travel back and forth with impunity, but pulling his ward from the grip of illness seemed to be more important that boundaries and kings just now.

Percival nodded, his face practically split in half, so wide was he beaming. "I know! And Arthur took some grain fields, too, so the kingdom will have to pay Camelot for winter stores, and his spies are still unrevealed, so they can do more work. The council is predicting that within two years, all of Cenred's kingdom will belong to Camelot without a single drop of blood spilled!"

Merlin _laughed_, a sound of complete relief and joy, and Percival joined in. The two of them had always been disconnected with the others of the Round Table—they were all brothers, yes, but there was something about having a home outside of Camelot that separated them from the rest. Not anymore. Gaius allowed himself to crack a smile, proud of just how _good _the young Pendragon was getting at the whole being king thing.

Percival didn't stay for long after he'd delivered his news—he was leaving on patrol first thing in the morning and hadn't yet packed. Merlin remained placated and docile for an entire, _wonderful _hour while the physician prepared potions for the following day. After Gaius gave him a few old storybooks, he even agreed to read quietly while the medicines were bottled.

The piece de resistance of the entire day came when the servant was beginning to grow antsy from being still a whole two hours. Gaius had one eye on Merlin's door and one eye on his, and was not disappointed when Gwaine staggered in shortly after the warlock's second escape attempt, a stack of papers in hand. He peered around the room with squinted eyes before fixing on Gaius. "I am suspicious," he said, taking a step forward. "I am suspicious because Arthur has given me a lackey errand and said I could have the evening off to go to the tavern. What exactly is going on here?"

The physician rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. The errand relates to Merlin?"

If possible, the knight's eyes narrowed further. "How'd you know?"

"Merlin's been sick. Arthur's been giving him things to do." _And people to see. _Gaius picked up the paperwork he'd been doing and led him into the warlock's room.

Merlin's face lit up when he saw the knight trailing behind. "Gwaine!" he said, sounding pretty much like his old self—the rasp was still there, but barely. "What are you doing here?"

The knight snuck a look at Gaius while the physician settled down in the farthest chair and continued working. "Arthur told me to bring you these reports to look over before I headed to the tavern," Gwaine said, sitting next to Merlin's bed. "…I didn't know you were sick, mate."

"Camelot's best kept secret," Gaius said, then bit his lip to stop the ironic laugh rising in his throat.

Merlin shrugged. "Not so bad, really. I mean, today. I don't remember much of yesterday or the day before, but today's been mostly good." He took the stack of papers from Gwaine's hand with a grimace. "Clearly Arthur never got the message that I'm sick. He keeps sending me _work." _

"Shame," Gwaine said, kicking his feet onto Merlin's bed.

"Aren't you going to the tavern?"

"Naw. The company's better in here."


	7. Chapter 7

**How about a small flurry of Arthur-Merlin-brotherly-fluff to wrap things up?**

* * *

"MERLIN!"

Gaius woke with a jump, nearly falling off his bed as the doors banged open and Arthur stalked in. He blinked, thinking for a moment that he was seeing things, but the image remained. The king of Camelot was half-dressed, sleeves askew, doublet fastened crooked, trousers wrinkled and torn at the hem, a look of something akin to madness in his eyes. "…Is there something I can…help you with, sire?" the physician asked, sluggishly raising a what-the-devil-is-going-on-here eyebrow.

The king's head snapped toward him. "Gaius, he had _better ruddy well be better today, _because I can't _take _anymore."

Gaius swallowed his remaining drowsiness. Gawain and Merlin had talked last night until Merlin's eyes began to droop, and even then the knight had refused to leave until the younger man's breathing evened out.

And they'd slept in, apparently. "I didn't think you would want him in today."

"Want him in?" the king said, his bloodshot eyes widening a bit more as he released a shaky, breathy laugh. "George doesn't talk and doesn't notice when I tease him and doesn't respond when I tell him it's a joke, Gwen's too busy with the servant reorganization to talk to me, I can barely keep a schedule straight in my mind _and _deal with sudden crises at the same time and George doesn't know my schedule, and none of the council members can give advice worth the breath it takes to say it, and I was up half the night trying to write this stupid speech for the new provinces and there's six other things I'm supposed to be working on—"

Gaius silenced the babbling king with his alright-yes-that's-quite-enough-of-that eyebrow. He stood up and bit back a yawn, tottering over to the shelf of potions, fishing around. "Here," he said, walking back to Arthur with a small bottle. "Drink this before you try to say anything else."

Arthur eyed the bottle in suspicion, the look made less potent by his trembling fingers and the dark circles under his eyes. "Why, what is it supposed to do?" he asked.

"Calm you down," the physician answered.

He shook his head. "What do you mean? I'm perfectly calm. I am the model of—of calmness. Who's said anything about me being—" He shut up at the sight of Gaius' don't-you-dare-argue-with-me-boy eyebrow before popping the lid off the vial and downing it. He shuddered, then blinked when the taste actually hit him. "…Huh, that's not actually bad."

Because it was basically a variation on chamomile tea, but Gaius had never told Uther that and didn't see any reason to tell Arthur. "Not all potions are horrible tasting," Gaius said. "Yes, Merlin may go back to work—but only as long as you take it easy on him," he finished as Arthur started thundering up the stairs to Merlin's room. He sighed and followed the king as fast as he could.

Arthur opened Merlin's door and Gaius looked in under the king's arm, smiling fondly. The warlock was still fast asleep, looking much younger and more innocent than he did in his waking hours. Somehow he looked more vulnerable now than when he had been thrashing with illness, too. A tiny smile tugged at his lips, as if he were having a good dream. The patchy fever was clearly gone for good.

Arthur snorted at the sight. "Look at the layabout," he said. "He probably wouldn't wake if the warning bell rang in his ears." A wicked smile crossed Arthur's face then, and before Gaius knew what was happening, the king was running toward Merlin's bed.

"MERLIN! BANDITS!" The king yelled before taking a flying leap and landing on the warlock's stomach. Gaius' gut did a backflip as he realized what a phenomenally _stupid _thing Arthur had done without realizing, but it was too late to do anything but watch. Mostly with his head buried in his hands.

Merlin woke with a high-pitched screech as the king landed and knocked the wind out of him. "ARTHUR!" he yelled at his laughing friend when he realized what was going on, thankfully with no panicked outburst of magic. What was better, his voice was strong and normal.

"You squealed like a girl," Arthur said, rolling onto Merlin's legs in laughter. Merlin kicked him in the side.

"Yeah? Well, what did you do, throw yourself into your wardrobe and hope the clothes would arrange themselves?" the warlock asked, turning red. "Get _off." _

"Well, you can fix it. You're coming back to work today!" Arthur pulled Merlin almost double, catching him in a headlock and rubbing his knuckles against the top of his head. Merlin growled and pushed at Arthur's side, and the king let out a very unkingly giggly gasp as Merlin's fingers brushed against his ribs. Merlin broke free and snaked his hand through Arthur's flailing arms to tickle him again, starting to grin.

"_Children,_" Gaius snapped before the fight could escalate, and the two sort of fell sideways apart from each other and looked at him from opposite ends of the bed, feigning innocence. He found a clean pair of trousers and shirt folded up by the door and tossed them at Merlin. "Get dressed and _leave, _the _both _of you. And don't come back unless you're _dying." _He turned and started down the stairs, much slower than he'd gone up. Before he hit the bottom step there was another yelp and shriek, and a blue-red-and-brown blur raced by him, dogged by a white-and-brown blur with a mop of yellow hair. Gaius pressed himself against the wall as the two scampered out of his chambers, one bellowing and one cackling, though it was impossible to tell which was which. There was another huge crash and a loud, clear laugh from the hall that indicated one or both of them had run into a suit of armor.

The physician groaned and went back to bed.

Merlin was definitely better. And he was definitely getting too old for this.

* * *

**That is the end! I hope you enjoyed it, and the story as a whole. Thank you, wonderful readers, and good night! **


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